Toy railway track switch



W. F. HAFNER TOY RAILWAY TRACK SWITCH Nov. 1o, 1936.

Filed Jan. 29, 1934 2 Sheets-Shea?. l

l 1 1 I 1 l I 1 1 1 u 1 Nov. 10, 1936. w. F. HAFNER TY RAILWAY TRACK SWITCH Filed Jan. 29, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 10, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in track switches for toy railways and the main objects of the invention are to provide a track switch which will be exceptionally simple in construction, yet efficient and durable, and which may be manufactured and sold at a much lower cost than toy railway track switches heretofore known.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reference to the following specification and accompanying drawings (two sheets) in which are illustrated two forms of track switches embodying the invention.

In the drawings:-

Fig. l is a plan;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan corresponding to a portion of Fig. l but showing the structure in a changed position;

Figs. 4 and 5 are sections on the lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan similar to Fig. 3 but showing a slightly modied construction;

Fig. '7 is a section on the line 'I-l of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a plan of another modification;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan corresponding to a portion of Fig. 8 but showing a changed position; and

Figs. 10 and l1 are sections on the lines I0I0 and Il-|| respectively of Fig. 8.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. l to 4 inclusive, the improved track switch consists of two principal parts, one member being designated I2 and the other being designated I3. The member I2 is preferably in the form of a sheet metal member stamped up to form two diverging pairs of rails. One pair, which may be considered the main track, includes a stamped up outer rail formation I4 which is substantially straight and extends the full length of the structure. A rail portion I5 spaced inwardly from the rail I4 and substantially parallel therewith constitutes the inner rail of the said main track pair. The inner rail I5, in this instance, consists of aligned or separated sections |55L and |51".

Another pair of rails, which may be considered side tracks, is also stamped up from the member I2 and this pair consists of an inner curved rail I5 which has its end portion I0a substantially in alignment with the main track inner rail portions |55 and I 5b. In effect, the end portion |65 of the inner curved rail also constitutes a portion of the main track inner rail I5. The side track outer rail is designated H and in this instance it includes longitudinally aligned but separated sections and I'Ib. The section I'Ia intersects and merges into the straight rail portion I5a to form a frog point i designated I8. 5`

Immediately inside each of the rail portions just described, there are formed grooves or wheel ange guideways designated |40, |50, |60 and I T10, the said grooves being substantially continuous throughout the length of the respective 10 rails with which they are associated. Adjacent the frog point I8, the said grooves intersect each other but nevertheless are continuous.

The member designated I3 constitutes a shiftable switching element and it is formed of sheet 15 metal stamped up to provide a pair of rail por-` tions, one designated |45 and the other designated |15. The rail portion |45 is a straight portion adapted to be aligned with the straight rail i4 and the rail portion |15 is a curved portion 20 adapted to be aligned with the rail I'I. The memberv I2 is provided lwith an opening I9 whereby portions of the rails I land I1 are cut away where they would normally merge and the l switching member I3 is movably mounted on the 25 member I2 so thatthe rail portions I4s and I'I5 are laterally movable into and out of operative relation with the rails I4 and II in said opening. In this instance, the switching member I3 on opposite sides of the rail portions |45 and |75 30 is provided with substantially flat plate-like extensions designated and 2| respectively,v and these extensions underlie flat web or plate'- like portions 22 and 23 respectively, formed in' A tegrally with the member I2. The portion 20 of 35 the switching member is also extended and bent upwardly to form an operating handle 24. The switching member I3 is adjustably connected to the member I2 by means of rivets such as iny dicated at 25, 25 which are slidable in slots 26, .4() 26 formed in the web or plate-like portions 22 and 23, the said slots constituting guides for regulating the movement of the switching member.

Adjacent the inside of each of the switching 45 member rail sections |45 and |15, there are also provided grooves or wheel flange guideways |S and |105, the said guideways being of course adapted to be aligned with the corresponding guideways of the straight and curved rail por- 50 tions of the member I2.

When the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1, i. e., with the straight track portion of the switching member in alignment with the straight track I4 of the member I2, a train will, 55

of course, follow the straight track. It will be noted that the grooves |50 and |68 of the inside rails of the main and side tracks intersect and form a widened grooved portio-n designated |55, so that for a short distance, i. e., while the train wheels are passing from the rail portion I6a to the rail portion |5b, there is an impaired guiding effect on that particular wheel. Derailment due to this cause is of course prevented by the continuous guideway formed by the grooves |40 and |465, in which the iiange of a wheel rides.

When the switch member |3 is adjusted to the position illustrated in Fig. 3, the curved track section of the switching member is aligned with the portion |1b of the curved track |1 and a train entering the switch in the direction indicated by the arrow 21, will of course enter the curved side tracks.

In the structure thus .far described, it will be seen that in the event a train is traveling in the direction reverse to that indicated by the arrow 21, it will be necessary that the switching element I3 be adjusted in accordance with the track on which the train is moving. In the form of construction shown in Fig. 6, the switching element may remain in either of its two positions, while at the same time permitting a train to run through the switch from either the side track or the main track when moving in the said reversed direction such as indicated by the arrows 23, 28. In this construction, the track sections |45 and |15 are separated by a depressed portion which lies alongside the inside of the rail section |45 and also has a branch designated |f|| which lies alongside the inside of the rail section |15. It Will be seen that the grooves |405 and MI are respectively aligned with the straight and curved track grooves |43 and |10, so that there is no obstruction to the passage of a train through the switch in either direction. Of course when a train is traveling in the direction of the arrow 21 so as to enter the switch in an operative direction, the switch must be shifted to direct the train as desired.

With reference to Figs. 8 to 11 inclusive, the switch structure there shown embodies a main sheet metal member l2a which is similar in all material respects to the member |52 of the form shown in Fig. 1. The switching member designated |3a in this instance is pivoted as indicated at 29 to a portion of the member |2a. The member |39- is a sheet metal member and is provided at its outer edge with a handle formation 3E! and at its inner edge with a rail portion 3| which is pressed up, as clearly indicated in Fig. 10. The outer end of the rail formation 3| is tapered to a point as indicated at 32 and the arrangement is such that the inner end portion of the rail formation 3i is at all times substantially in alignment with the curved outer rail portion of the member |2a, As shown in Fig. 8, the switching member |3a is adjusted so that the pointed end of the rail 3| engages the inside of the outer straight rail formation of the member |25- so that a train upon entering the switch would be directed over the curved side tracks. When the switching element i3a is adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 9, the train would of course follow the straight track, the member 3| then constituting, in eiect, a guide or guard rail for preventing the wheels of the train from slipping sidewise from the rail, as might otherwise happen due to the widened gro-ove intersection |55 at the inner rails.

For effectively supporting the switching member |35, the latter may have a loop, 33 pressed upwardly therefrom so as to form a guide for receiving the tongue Si! formed integral with and projecting from the member |221. The rail portion 3| of the switching member operates in an opening 35 formed in the main member |2a and if desired, the switching member may further be supported by depressing the metal of the member |25 (where it is removed to form the opening 35) to form a shelf 36 which may underlie the portion of the member |32L below the rail portion 3|.

For connecting the switch structure to conven-j tional track sections, it is provided at the ends of.

its various rails with sockets designated 31 for' receiving dowel pins such as 38 which t into similar sockets provided in conventional track sections. The sockets 38 are formed by coiling portions of the metal sheet from which the member |2 is formed, such portions being of course coiled underneath the respective rail ends.

The described structure embodies two main elements, each of which may be made by inexpensive punch press operations. The assembling of the elements involves only a simple riveting operation and the result is that the entire structure costs but little to produce and hence may be sold at low prices compared with the prices necessarily charged for the more or less conventional structures, which are considerably more complicated and in fact, less durable.

Changes in the described structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which should be determined by reference t0 the following claims, the same being construed as broadly as possible consistent with the state of the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A track switch for a miniature or toy railroad, comprising a main sheet metal member stamped to form two diverging pairs of rails and web portions integrally connecting all of the rails, and an auxiliary sheet metal member stamped to form rail, web and operating handle portions, the web portion of said auxiliary member being movably connected to the web portion of the main member and the rail portion of the auxiliary member being interposed in a rail portion of one of said rail pairs and having one end adapted to be moved selectively into and out of cooperative relation with a rail portion of the other rail pair, the handle portion of said auxiliary member projecting sidewise from the switch so as to facilitate manipulation of the switch.

2. A track switch for a miniature or toy railroad comprising a main sheet metal member stamped to form two diverging pairs of rails and a web integrally connecting all of the rails, a portion of a rail of one pair adjacent the junction oi such rail with a rail of the other pair and the adjacent web portion being cut away so as to provide an opening in the member, and an auxiliary sheet metal member stamped to form a rail portion and a web portion, positioned partially in said opening and having its web portion movably connected to the web of the main member so that said auxiliary member rail portion is selectively adjustable into and out of position for operatively connecting said rails of the main member.

3. A track switch for a toy railroad, comprising a main sheet metal member stamped to form diverging pairs of rails and a web integrally connecting all of the rails, there being outer and inner rail pairs, the inner rails of each pair having a permanent stamped intersection including a guideway separating said rails at their intersections and operative to temporarily support a vehicle wheel during its movement over said intersection from one of said rails to the other, the outer rails having an adjustable intersection comprising an auxiliary sheet metal member stamped to form a rail portion and a web portion, one of said outer rail portions and the adjacent web portion being cut away so as to provide an opening in the switch, said auxiliary member being mounted in said opening and having its web portion movably connected to the web portion of the main member and its rail portion substituted for said cutaway rail portion, said auxiliary member rail portion being selectively movable for connecting or disconnecting said outer rails of said rail pairs.

4. A toy railway switch including a base formed of a sheet metal stamping with integral main and branch line rails and having an opening located at the junction of said main and branch line rails, a switch lever of angular formation formed of a single sheet metal stamping and having an integral rail section struck up therefrom and movable in said opening of the base, a portion of said lever projecting beyond the base to provide an operating handle, and a pivot for connecting the lever to the underside of the base.

5. A toy railway switch including a base formed of a sheet metal stamping with integral main and branch line rails, and having an opening located at the junction of said main and branch line rails, a switch lever of bell crank formation and formed of a single sheet metal stamping provided on one of its arms with a stamped up rail section which is adapted to move in said opening in the base, a pivotal mounting at the extremity of its/ other arm, and an operating connection projecting outwardly beyond said base from the junction of the said two arms.

6. A track switch for toy railroad tracks, comprising a one-piece main member provided with diverging traction rail pairs and connecting webbing integrally uniting the rails, said webbing having an opening therethrough, adjustable intersection-forming means associated with a rail of each of said rail pairs, said means comprising a one-piece auxiliary member provided with a traction rail portion and a web portion, the said auxiliary member having its web portion disposed beneath the webbing of said main member, extending upwardly through said opening and having its rail portion juxtaposed with one of said last mentioned rails, and means connecting web portions of said main and auxiliary members so as to permit adjustment of the latter to position the rail portion thereof selectively in and out of switching relation to the other of said last mentioned rails.

7 A track switch for toy railroad tracks, comprising a one-piece sheet metal member stamped to form diverging traction rail pairs and connecting webbing integrally uniting the rails, said webbing having an opening therethrough, adjustable intersection-forming means associated with a rail of each of said rail pairs, said means comprising a one-piece auxiliary sheet metal member stamped to form a traction rail portion and a web portion, the said auxiliary member having its web portion disposed beneath the webbing of said main member, extending upwardly through said opening and having its rail portion juxtaposed with one of said last mentioned rails, and means connecting web portions of said main and auxiliary members so as to permit adjustment of the latter to position the rail portion thereof selectively in and out of switching relation to the other of said last mentioned rails.

8. A track switch for toy railroad tracks, comprising a one-piece main member provided with diverging traction rail pairs and connecting webbing integrally uniting the rails, said webbing having an opening therethrough, adjustable intersection-forming means associated with a rail of each of said rail pairs, said means comprising a one-piece auxiliary member provided with a traction rail po-rtion and web portions on opposite sides of said rail portion, the said auxiliary member having its web portions disposed beneath the webbing of said main member and its rail portion extending upwardly through said opening and juxtaposed with said rail of each of said rail pairs, and means connecting the web portions of said auxiliary member to portions of the webbing of the main member on opposite sides of said opening so as to permit adjustment of said auxiliary member to position the rail portion thereof selectively in and out of switching relation to one of said last mentioned rails and so as to adequately support said auxiliary member rail portion in operative relation to the rails of said main member.

WILLIAM F. HAFNER. 

